RIM’s long awaited BlackBerry PlayBook with 3G or 4G (LTE) capabilities was officially announced last year, but has yet to launch. Images of this tablet has popped up several times and it’s also been mentioned in various internal carrier documents. New reports surfaced today that indicate that Canada’s Big 3 carriers – Rogers, Bell and TELUS – are currently testing the PlayBook 3G/4G with OS 2.0.1. Unfortunately there’s no mention about about WIND Mobile, Mobilicity, Videotron, nor MTS or SaskTel. However, it’s expected that if/when RIM launches this tablet that most carriers will be adding it to their lineup. As for the possible launch date, rumours are now pointing towards an official announcement in May at BlackBerry World 2012.

This week the original PlayBook will turn 1yr olde and …still no BBM nor BES?TELUS was the first to lower the PB price to $150 in Canada. Expect the new PB at $99-150

Doubt Future Shop, Best Buy and others will carry it since they still have mountains of the olde model in stock, either that or expect another half a Billion $ write off next Q.

Cellfreak

Now you can do More with Less!

Good God RIM… just blow up the boiler and call it a day.

Negative Ned

Rim is dead. Why does anyone care?

mb

It’s sad that everytime I went to FS to test it out, the screen was always frozen or had an error that you couldn’t fix no matter what you do. They don’t seem to care at FS. they don’t want to sell anything there. I think I’ll get an ultra book with internet stick and windows 8, much better deal. oh there’s a keyboard now at BB for the Galaxy tab….

Sean

They should worry about fixing the UI and giving the user a better experience first; then worry about extolling the virtues of a cellular Playbook.

Sean

Apparently speaking the truth gets you a low rating around here. Interesting.

Roy

I love the design of this new PlayBook – very sharp and cutting edge. Can’t wait til the launch. Tools, not toys.

Both technically have 3G basestations but networks so slow that they are beat by phones on 2.5G EDGE networks.

3df

As much as I’m rooting for RIM to succeed… I don’t really get why they’d release a 3G/4G Playbook. The wifi-only model didn’t do well until they slashed prices to the point where they’re losing money, and even then the sales have only been pretty good up here in Canada. In the States, I think it still falls quite a deal behind the runner-up Kindle Fire (never mind the iPad).

Unless this new Playbook is capable of making calls on these carriers’ networks (and coming in with a significant hardware subsidy), I don’t really see what differentiates it well enough to even be considered by anyone other than those loyal to RIM.

Ron Mexico

No one cared about the Playbook before the price drops, no one will care about these either unless they are $199 no contract just like the others were.

Robert

Now the best tablet is going to be better, It’ll be a 3G HSPA+ for me, as I live way out in the country.

A. Carmine

Personally, if I ever buy a tablet it would have to be 3G or 4G… but at the same time, I would not own a smartphone, it would be a dumbphone just for calls.

I-Nemo

“dumbphone” -love this name, lol

Juliisa

Playbook is quite interesting, but RIM is so dead over here in Finland that just for the surppot sake(localised apps etc.)i think i’ll go for the Android/transformer over it.Actually the real contender﻿ for transformer for me is new thinner 10.1, but i’m not sure if i’m patient enough to wait for it. Great comparison though!